Jim Fenton has worked at The Enterprise since 1981 and began covering the Celtics in the 1985-86 championship season when Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish formed the Big 3. He was seated courtside for nearly every home game during the 22-
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Jim Fenton has worked at The Enterprise since 1981 and began covering the Celtics in the 1985-86 championship season when Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish formed the Big 3. He was seated courtside for nearly every home game during the 22-year title drought that came to an end in 2008 when the new Big 3 of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen turned things around.

Paul Pierce will be back in the starting lineup when the Celtics open a four-game homestand against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.

Pierce sat out Monday night's game in Minnesota against the Timberwolves for personal reasons and not because of a sprained ankle suffered the night before in New York.

Meanwhile, Coach Doc Rivers said that Kevin Garnett has been working out trying to keep his conditioning as he recovers from inflammation of the left ankle.

Garnett is expected to miss two weeks and could be back early next week.

"Honestly, I haven’t asked one question about it,'' said Rivers. "I don’t even know when two weeks is. It’s probably coming up and he’ll play.

"It’s a good stretch for us. We have a lot of practice days coming up and Kevin’s been working out. He hasn’t lost all of his conditioning, but you do lose some. When you don’t play, it’s not the same, so I’m sure he’s lost some.''

Rajon Rondo, rehabbing after undergoing knee surgery in February, attended the Wednesday morning shooting and was in his practice uniform.

"It was great just having him around,'' said Rivers. "He put his brace on. He just watched shootaround, but then he limped out on the floor and did whatever he did. But it’s just good having him around. It’s good for him, too, probably.''

Asked if Rondo dunked when he went on the floor, Rivers said, "Not yet. It’s coming. That’s next.''